The Drill: Short and sort of sweet

It's called a cup of coffee - a player's quick trip to the major leagues before getting sent back to the minors.

For many, it's the first step in a long career.

For others, it is their career.

The ultimate cup of coffee player was Archibald "Moonlight" Graham, made famous in "Field of Dreams."

Graham was a real player. He played in the outfield in one game for the 1905 New York Giants but never got a chance to bat in his only major-league game.

Here are some other real-life Moonlight Grahams:

• Jeff Banister, now a bench coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates, got a pinch-hit single for the Pirates in his only major-league at-bat in 1991. He is one of 21 players to get a hit in their only plate appearance, according to www.baseball-reference.com.

The baseball now sits on a shelf in his 10-year-old son's bedroom.

"The events in my life allowed me to just really, truly kind of hold on to that one at-bat, that one game, and just how precious they really are. And how fragile professional sports and athletes really are," Banister said.

• Former Mets catcher Joe Hietpas made his only big league appearance as a defensive replacement, playing the final inning of the final game of the 2004 season. He is credited with two putouts.

• Reliever Philip Barzilla pitched one-third of an inning in 2006 for the Astros, giving up a single and then getting Todd Pratt to fly out.

His career lasted seven pitches. He was sent back to the minors two days later, and then was released the following week to make room on the 40-man roster for Roger Clemens.

"But, you know, I did pitch in the big leagues," he said. "And not a lot of people got to do that."

• Dustin Bergman pitched two innings for the Angels in 2004, ending his career with a 13.50 ERA.

• There are a dozen or so pitchers who retired every batter they faced, and 23 who never got an out.

Then there's Larry Yount, brother of Brewers great Robin Yount. Warming up after being called in from the bullpen for the Astros in September 1971, Larry Yount injured his arm. He is credited with appearing in the game since he was announced as the new pitcher, but he never threw a pitch in a major-league game.